Ilex plant named ‘FarrowMrP’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Ilex  plant named ‘FarrowMrP’, characterized by its upright, low mounded and compact plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; flat dark green-colored leaves; typically only male flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Ilex verticillata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FarrowMrP’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct Ilex plant, botanically known as Ilex verticillata and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘FarrowMrP’.

The new Ilex plant originated from an open-pollination during the spring of 1999 of Ilex verticillata ‘Red Sprite’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Ilex verticillata, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Ilex plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor during the summer of 2002 as a single plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Earleville, Md.

Asexual reproduction of the new Ilex plant by softwood cuttings in Earleville, Md. since the autumn of 2002 has shown that the unique features of the new Ilex plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Ilex have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘FarrowMrP’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘FarrowMrP’ as a new and distinct Ilex plant:

-   -   1. Upright, low mounded and compact plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.     -   3. Flat dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Typically only male flowers observed.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Ilex differ from plants of the female parent, ‘Red Sprite’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ilex are more compact than plants of ‘Red         Sprite’.     -   2. Plants of the new Ilex typically only produces male flowers         whereas plants of ‘Red Sprite’ typically only produces female         flowers.

Plants of the new Ilex can be compared to the plants of Ilex verticillata ‘Jim Dandy’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Grand Haven, Mich., plants of the new Ilex differed from plants of ‘Jim Dandy’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ilex were more compact than plants of ‘Jim         Dandy’.     -   2. Plants of the new Ilex had darker green-colored leaves than         plants of ‘Jim Dandy’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Ilex plant. The photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Ilex plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘FarrowMrP’.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical leaves, flower buds and flowers of ‘FarrowMrP’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring, summer and autumn in ground beds in an outdoor nursery in Grand Haven, Mich. and under cultural practices typical of commercial production. Plants were four years old when the photographs and detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Ilex verticillata ‘FarrowMrP’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Ilex verticillata ‘Red Sprite’, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Ilex             verticillata, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 30 days at             temperatures of 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             months at temperatures of 24° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial shrub; upright, low             mounding and compact plant habit; moderately vigorous growth             habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; dense and bushy             growh habit with numerous lateral branches developing per             plant.         -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 43 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 25 cm. Diameter:             About 6 mm. Internode length: About 2 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, mature stems: Close to             197B.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 6.5 cm. Width: About 4 cm. Shape: Obovate Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Serrulate. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous.             Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Aspect: Mostly flat.             Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,             close to 143C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 145B. Petioles: Length: About             1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 145A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower appearance and arrangement.—Single terminal and             axillary rotate flowers; freely flowering habit with about             42 male flowers developing per lateral branch; flowers face             mostly outwardly.         -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering commences in the middle             of spring in Michigan; flowers last about three to four             weeks on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 4 mm to 5 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.5 mm to 3 mm. Diameter: About             3 mm. Shape: Obovate to globose. Color: Close to 154C.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five to six petals in a single             whorl; fused at the base. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About             3 mm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When             opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D; color             becoming closer to 157A with development.         -   Calyx.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Shape:             Star-shaped. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Sepal color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 145A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect (if terminal) to about 45°             from lateral branch axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity of stamens per             flower: About five. Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther             shape: Oblong to globular. Anther color: Close to 145D.             Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 12B.             Gynoecium: Female flowers have not been observed on plants             of the new Ilex. Fruits and seeds: Fruit and seed             development have not been observed on plants of the new             Ilex. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Ilex have been observed to     have good garden performance and to be tolerant to rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about −27° C. to about 38° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants have not been observed to be     resistant to pathogens and pests common to Ilex. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Ilex plant named ‘FarrowMrP’ as illustrated and described. 